


Heritage || The Golden Feather AU

by FishCatCrafts



Series: Golden Feathers AU [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Biological Son Tommyinnit, He gets it :), Hurt/Comfort, Hybrid TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Mild Gore, Phil is a bad dad but hes learning, Piglin Hybrid Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Piglin Hybrid Wilbur Soot, TOMMYWINGIT, TommyInnit Needs a Hug (Video Blogging RPF), Tommyinnit swears, Twins Wilbur Soot & Technoblade, Winged Philza, Winged TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), he is really trying his best, is that so unusual tho-
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:40:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28521024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FishCatCrafts/pseuds/FishCatCrafts
Summary: Part One of the Golden Feathers AU!-Tommy's always felt like he wasn't appreciated in the family; the only human one and the only one of his brothers who was actually related to Phil. That didn't mean he was the favorite though, that title went to Techno.But when Tommy sudden is hit with a little bit of family relations, it hard not to suddenly crave the attention he feels he deserves.OrTommy grows wings and both wants Phil's attention and shuns it
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Series: Golden Feathers AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2099328
Comments: 44
Kudos: 1498





	Heritage || The Golden Feather AU

**Author's Note:**

> Golden Feathers AU (OG)
> 
> Part one! Read firstt!
> 
> Wilbur is technically a Piglin Hybrid but it doesnt matter since he's hardly mentioned-

Tommy doesn’t exactly remember why he began hiding it, what thought drove into his brain that he shouldn’t let anyone know. 

But the day everything changed was still fresh in his mind. The band aid has yet to even be applied to that wound.

-

It was another day of being left at home, Phil and Techno out on their adventures and Wilbur with his friends, but today felt different. Tommy woke up with intense muscle pain in his back, but massaging the knotted bundles in his shoulders did nothing to soothe it. He just shrugged it off as strange growing pains, even though it progressively got worse as the day went on. 

Tommy was outside when it happened, when the ache turned into searing pain and gentle twitches turned into spasms. He had thought it was due to bending over too much while picking some potatoes, but the pain was too much for something that simple to cause it.

He hunched over, waves of pain crippling. Tommy grabbed uselessly at the back of his shirt. The searing heat was dizzying, and he couldn't tell if the yelling in his ears was himself or if someone else was in just as much pain. 

Wilbur had been on his way home around this time, idly chatting to Niki, when the shriek of pain reached his ears. His blood ran cold and he immediately darted off down the gravel-path, Niki close behind. 

They stumbled into the front garden of the home, gawking at the sight of the blond hunched on the ground. His shirt was torn to shreds, two massive lumps rippling from his back. 

Wilbur ran through the rows of wheat ferns and trampled a few carrot steps on the way to Tommy. Tommy’s breath was ragged, pants and cries instead of screams now. “Tommy, Tommy, I’m here.”

Tommy’s eyes flickered up to Wilbur, glazed over from exhaustion and pain. “Wi-Wil?”

“Yeah, bud, it’s me. It’s Wilbur.”

“Wa-What’s happ-ening?” Tommy’s voice was cracking and horribly rough.

“I dont know Tommy, I’m here though. Niki’s here too.” Wilbur told Niki to grab a potion. “It’ll be okay.”

They stayed with him for hours, gently massaging the skin on his shoulders as Tommy cried and shuttered. 

Wilbur fell back as Tommy’s skin burst open, blood falling from his shoulders and pooling under his body. Feathers tore from the flesh, golden and red bathing his skin in colors. Tommy’s crying and screaming picked up tenfold from the absolutely torturous feeling of wings ripping from his shoulders, a plume of feathers growing from his tailbone only enhancing the waves.

The meadow stilled, air stifling as Tommy slumped over, seemingly unmoving. “T-Tommy?” Niki stuttered, hand over her mouth in horror.

Tommy’s back was coated in bloody feather, two large wings draping movelessly to the sides. His back was slowly moving with labored breaths. Wilbur gently pushed him into a sitting potion, moving the hair stuck to his sweat-slicked forhead before gently feeding him two potions; regen and healing. Tommy sighed at the cool feeling of the contents slipping down his throat, smacking his tongue against his teeth at the chockingly sweet taste. His eyes slowly slid open, staring lazily up at Wilbur. “Hey…” his voice was thick with exhaustion.

Wilbur had to fight off the urge to roll his eyes, settling to just sigh. “Lets get you inside, okay? I’ll give Techno and Phil a call.”

“No!” Tommy’s voice was scratchy and it hurt him to yell. “Dont tell Phil, or Techno, just help me inside.”

Wilbur wasn’t going to argue with Tommy now, not when the boy looked deathly pale and was practically dead weight against his shoulder. Wilbur gently pulled Tommy up by the arm, slinging the boy’s around his shoulder as Wil gripped his waist. The brunette flinched at the stickiness of blood seeping into his shirt, trying to ignore that is was his brother’s. 

Niki helped to prep Tommy’s room with a bucket of warm water and a towel, setting both next to a chair beside the boy’s bed. When Wilbur laid his gently on the bed, Niki got to work cleaning the crimson stains from his feathers in skin. She accidentally rubbed too hard or tugged harshly on a feather a few times and caused Tommy to jolt. She’d apologized but never stopped working his back and shoulders were clean and the bucket of water was now dyed a deep red. “You’ll have to take a shower later,” she explained softly. “But this should do for now. Take a short nap for now and I’ll prepare some food.”

Tommy grunted, Niki taking it as a positive response before leaving. The door closed softly as Tommy’s eyes slowly closed, drifting into a dreamless sleep.

-

Tommy faintly remembers the days after that, slowly adjusting to the added weight to his back and the feathers coating his sheets every morning since. It was a day or two after that that feathers slowly started to grow in his hair and down his arms, creating a somewhat colorful lining down his arms. He had also taken some time to look at his wings, large and intimidating, with the main colors being white and gold, a dash of red on the very end of his wings.

If it weren’t for how he got them, he’d probably be very proud of them and flaunting.

But he decided to instead stick to his room and hide away, a voice deep inside of him telling him to hate it. To despise the connection to his  _ father  _ that these wings gave him. 

Unlike what most believe, Phil wasn’t that great of a dad. Sure, Tommy is his only biological relative out of his sons, but it’s obvious that he’s the least liked. Techno and Wilbur, two twins that Phil had adopted when Tommy was 2, were the obvious favorites. Especially Techno, who had just as much passion for adventuring as Phil and had the sword talent to match. 

Tommy has been left home alone for months now, constantly. Phil and Techno would go to some other world for months, sometimes taking Wilbur along, and leaving little 11 year old Tommy alone. 

It wasn’t so bad to be alone, at least not when it came to taking care of basic necessities, but the constant quiet was very loud and bothersome. He liked being around his family, his Piglin brothers and Bird father always seemed to help him fill the empty air. 

But when the wings sprouted, the urge to be around people grew, and now overwhelming need to be with his flock (his brain often supplied that word in place of “family”). Tommy knew that he needed to suppress that urge, for as long as possible, and stay away from Wilbur and Techno and Phil. Techno and Phil were easy, they were on one of their month-long expeditions, but Wilbur was in the house how. The middle child made it obvious that he wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon, not when Tommy was being so difficult.

And that’s when Tommy started his own little game of sneaking out every night. He found that he could see much better at night that he used to, shapes and outlines becoming more vivid and sturdier. 

He would sleep all day and sneak out at night to stretch his wings, which always ache and felt strained while stuck in his room. It was freeing to walk through the woods and into his own personal clearing, one he had stumbled upon one night by accident, and stretched out the sore muscles and tendons. It felt freeing to be absolutely at ease in the clearing. 

When he would return the next morning, he’d go back to his room and sulk. The cramped containment of his little room always left him feeling stiff and nervous. Tommy would wait eagerly for every night, and had eventually changed his sleep schedule to reflect that excitement; wake up at dusk, slip out of his room for a meal, and spend the night in the woods. He didn’t know the first thing at how to fly, but just stretching his wings was enough for the time being.

-

It was about a month of this repeating schedule when Techno and Phil had finally arrived home, just as the sun was rising, with backpacks filled to the brim with goodies. Tommy had heard them arrive when he was partially through his window. He panicked, but remembered that Wilbur promised not to say anything to them, to let Tommy decide when to say. 

So when they walked through the doors and were greeted warmly by Wilbur, Tommy let his worries slow. They wouldn’t even realize I’m here, he reasoned. 

He could hear as they walked up the stairs, lighter than Techno’s but heavier than Wil’s,  _ Phil _ . Tommy made a dash for the door, locking it quickly and stepping back a bit as a knock sounded on the other side. “Tommy? Are you in there?”

Tommy’s chest ached at the sound of his father, heart yearning for the attention he’d get but his head grounded him. Kept him sane. So he moved away from the door as quietly as possible and slumped onto his stomach on the bed, head tilted toward the door to listen. “I got you some things, stuff I think you’d enjoy, if you want!”

“He’s sleeping Phil!” Tommy heard Wilbur call from the first floor, voice muffled from the door and the level. 

“Oh?”

Tommy listened to the receding footsteps of his father, chest finally dulling the ache due to the distance between them now. 

Moments ago, however, Phil had just been standing at the door. His wings were fluttering softly behind him, eagerness to see his youngest son bouncing in his chest. But as he pulled away from the knock, he noticed something strange on the floor, just barely peeking out from the bottom of the door. He bent down and grasped the soft object in his hands. Upon closer look, he noticed it was a golden feather. Still quite soft and almost downy in texture. 

Phil pondered it’s appearance before placing it in his pocket and walking down the stairs to see his middle child, who had been excited to see his father again.

-

The day passed again and night fell over the house. Tommy woke up to the faded light of the sunset and waited until an hour past nightfall to actually leave. His family may be home, but that won't stop him from his nightly outings. Even if it was somewhat dangerous.

He opened his window sill and gently climbed down the tree closest to him, wings helping to balance as he hit the ground with a soft thump. Tommy gently dusted off his clothes, just to be dramatic, and started off towards the woods. He hardly reached the tree line before stopping short. “Hey.”

His blood stilled in his veins as he slowly turned on his heel, wings fluffed up and feathers ruffled. He met the faintly glowing, crimson eyes of his eldest brother, who was leaning casually on the very tree he crawled down. Techno’s eyes bore into his own, his skin crawling and ants running like fire under his skin. Tommy tried to quietly shift his wings down to be as hidable as possible, but he had no expectations of it actually working. “H-Hey, Big Man.” Tommy coughed awkwardly, eyes looking anywhere but at Techno’s face.

“This is why Wilbur’s been acting so nervous? Why you’ve been hiding?” Techno said it more as a statement than a question, even if it was phrased like one.

Tommy sighed, a shiver crawling up his spine when he chanced a glance at Techno’s face, only to be met with indifference. “I told Wilbur notta say anything.”

“Why?” Techno asked without meaning to.

Techno always knew everything about everyone around him without them even saying a word, the fact he knew Tommy would sneak out tonight was evidence enough of that. But he also had a knack of liking to hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak, so he was only drawing out this conversation in preparation of Tommy caving. “I don't want Phil to know.” 

Tommy always caved easily.

Techno gave him a look that said to go on, and so he did. He spilled his guts out before his brother, in a metaphorical sense, and finally got the weight he wanted off his chest gone. It felt both relieving and terrifying, especially since it was Techno who had a part in his emotional sufferings. “...Phil might be my biological dad, but everyone can see he loves you the most.” Tommy finished with a sigh, wings drooped and hands wrapped around his arms.

He felt small again, and he hated it. He was eleven, not six. Tommy should be feeling a lot more grown up, more like the big man he likes to say he is.

Techno didn’t speak for some time, only the slight raise of his eyelids and twitching of his ears giving any insight to the fact he heard any of it. He broke the silence first with a stressed huff, cold hooved fingers gently prodding through his messy hair: lacking the usual crown, Tommy notes. “You need to tell Phil that. He needs to hear it more than me.”

“I can't let him know, dumbass.”

Techno gave him a pointed look. “And why not?”

Again, with the look and the caving techniques. 

“Because then he’d stay, you know he would, and then you’d have no one to go on your shitty adventures with.”

Techno knew the kid covered his emotional, meaningful statements with bratty behavior and a rude tongue. Tommy had always been one to use swear words to make himself feel more adult, but the fact the kid even bothered to worry about his feelings at all in this was a shock to even Techno. Tommy was always one to be ego-tistical, especially when it came to getting the attention he wanted. “You’re allowed to have Phil be your dad too. Especially now that he’s the only one who can teach you about those feathers of your’s.”

Tommy shifted his wings slightly, the ache of stiffness settling in was barely acknowledged till now. He parted them lightly and ruffled them a tad. “Phil found one of your feathers while at your door. He asked Wilbur about it and Wil told him it was an ink quill.”

“Is that how you figured I’d sneak out or some shit?”

“Nah, I knew once Wil told us your entire sleep pattern has taken a 360.”

Tommy groaned lightly. “Ugh.”

“Tommy,” The boy looked at Techno at the call of his name. “Speak to Phil tomorrow morning. He won't be mad, he even got you a present.”

“I cant promise you anything.”

“I know”. Techno said with a huff, turning and walking away soon after. 

Tommy was left in what felt like a heavy silence, the quiet weighing heavily on his ears as he decided to just return to his room. His wings may ache, but he just needed to be in a warm place, even if Phil was so close.

He sat on his bed quietly, only a small lantern to his side as a source of light. Tommy pulled out a small book from the bedside table, writing everything and anything inside of it; a habit he’s gained since he was left alone. It was always nice to get his thoughts out and onto paper, but it seemed his thoughts were of very little tonight.

What was he going to do?

.

.

.

Tommy had taken to staying in his room the past few days, hardly eating anything other than the cold meals left outside his door every night and hardly stretching his wings. They ache and groan at every movement, pops and muscle spasms now a normality. 

Techno had checked up on him once so far, only to slide a piece of paper ominously under the door. All it read was that Phil was worried and that his gift wasn’t going to be as good if he waited longer.

Wilbur checked up every night before he went to bed, just knocking softly and placing some food on the floor next to the door. Tommy always felt more guilty when it came to Wil, the brunette practically raised him the last new years, even if he was only 16 now.

It was on his third night of being cramped in his room that he decided he needed to at least leave to grab better food or something. 

Tommy slowly twisted the handle of the door, the lock popping softly at the sound. He stepped tentatively from the safety of his room, shoulders tense as he searched the small stretch of hallway for movement. He relaxed upon seeing nothing and slowly made his way down the steps. Tommy made sure to hold his wings just a tad higher so the feathers wouldnt drag on the ground and make too much noise.

He successfully made it down stairs and into the kitchen, rummaging through their barrel cabinets in search of some snacks; a small loaf of bread and some berries safely nestled in his arms. Tommy turned towards the stairs, a piece of bread hanging in his mouth, and stopped dead in his tracks when meeting the blue eyes of his dad. 

The slice dropped out of his mouth and tumbled into his arms, barely missing the fall to the ground. Tommy moved his eyes quickly around the room, searching for an escape point and all but praying that Phil couldn’t see as well as he could. “Tommy…?” 

His breath hitched in his throat at the sad tone of his father’s voice, fear of being caught briefly forgotten as his heart yearned for the closeness of his floc- _ family _ . “Hey Phil.” Tommy offered a reply, whisper just barely passing his lips.

Phil came tumbling down the steps and over to his son, looking at his boy with shock and near sadness. His arms came around to softly pull Tommy into a hug, fingertips just gently caressing the feathers on his wings. Tommy fought off the urge to bury himself in Phil’s arms, instead gently setting the food to the side and patting the older’s arm awkwardly. “What have you been through without me?” He barely heard the words come from Phil’s mouth, as quiet as whispers.

“You know, the usual.” 

Phil laughed softly, only to break down into tears as the loose grip on Tommy’s shirt tightened. Tommy felt his heart shatter as Phil’s own wings gently moved forward to almost cradle them. The boy’s resolve shattered and the emotions since the wings broke to the surface similarly; floods of tears and shaky cries. 

Phil was the first to calm down, his hard grib never lessening even so, like he was scared Tommy might just up and fly away right then and there. Tommy’s tears settled first, then his chest, and finally his body, leaning into Phil as if all energy was sapped. 

The older gently led them both to the couch in the living room, lighting a lantern on the nearby table. Tommy watched the flames flicker soft light around the room, exhaustion heavy in his bones. “Is this why you’ve been hiding?” Phil did it too, asking without needing an answer.

Tommy nodded regardless, eyes closing softly. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

There was the question.

“Wilbur knew.”

“I figured,” Phil paused, taking in the silence. “Techno knows too then?”

“He found me leaving my room one night.”

“You would leave your room?”

Tommy hummed. “Yeah, to stretch. Being stuck in my room hurt.”

Phil knew what he meant, he could practically see the stiffness in Tommy’s wings as they sat. “Have you preened them yet?”

“Preen?”

Phil wasn't surprised in the least that Tommy knew nothing of basic care for himself. He sighed lightly and gently slid onto the ground, tapping the space in front of him with his hand. Tommy was a bit confused, but complied regardless. Phil gently began shifting through the feathers, massaging the rough skin underneath. Tommy practically melted at the touch, slouching over and making an odd cooing noise from his chest. Phil reprocipricated the sound with fondness. “You’ve got to preen your feathers pretty often. It’s a necessity to clean and maintain your feathers.”

Tommy hummed, nodding off slightly at the satisfying feeling of his feathers being stroked and the massaging in his skin. He couldn’t feel the pull of the old feathers being removed as Phil gently pulled them out. Phil chuckled slightly from behind him. “Go to sleep Toms, I’ll be here in the morning.” 

Tommy didn’t even get to mention why he hadn’t told Phil before dozing off.

.

.

.

Techno was the first to wake up in the morning, stumbling down the carpeted stairs with clumsy hooves. He walked past the living room, only sparing it a single glance before stopping. On the couch lay Tommy, curled up against the back and wings splayed out on the ground with his head laid in Phil’s lap. The older man had his fingers in Tommy’s hair, obviously was playing with it before he too fell asleep.

Techno smiled softly, showing a brief bit of emotion while alone before going back into the kitchen. He prepared some breakfast; some toast, eggs, bacon, and a small berry salad on the side. He was just finishing making the berry salad when he heard footsteps coming from the living room. 

Out came the mess of hair and feathers that was Tommy, bags deeply set under his eyes as he yawned and rubbed them softly. “Mornin Tech.” He muttered, sleep heavy in his voice.

Techno responded with a soft hum, handing the boy a plate of food and pointing to the table. Tommy complied and sat down at the table, slowly munching on the toast. The piglin left to wake up Phil, gently shaking his shoulder awake and handing him a plate of his own. Phil joined Tommy at the table, smiling softly at the mess of blond.

Wilbur joined soon after, blanket wrapped loosely around his shoulders. The tiredness in his eyes morphed into shock at seeing the two winged family members sitting at the table. He mouthed  _ “how”  _ to Techno, who only shrugged in response.

They all sat at the table, Tommy feeling somewhat happy at the easy normalcy that quickly bounced back. That feeling was quickly shattered by Techno. “What happened last night that made you two all good again?”

Tommy shot Techno a look before flicking his eyes to Phil quickly. His appetite was lost after just eating a piece of toast and some berries. “He caught me sneaking food.”

“You guys didn’t actually talk?”

“What do you-” Tommy cut Phil off. “No. We didn’t.”

Wilbur looked from Techno to Tommy a few times before setting his eyes on Phil. “What's going on on?”

Techno looked at Tommy very pointedly, red eyes narrowed at the eleven year old who slumped in his chair. “I- uh, um.” He stuttered slightly. 

“He has something to say to you all.” Techno sighed, anxiety at the situation spiking slightly.

The pressure was getting to Tommy as he began fidgeting, his leg bouncing restlessly against the chair. He didn’t know how to start, if he even wanted to in front of everyone. Letting them know that he felt unloved and uncared for by everyone, Phil the most? It felt impossible. Tommy’s tongue already felt thick in his mouth and his chest was tight. 

He reeled himself back, eyes closed shut and feathers ruffled behind him. Tommy decided to keep his eyes shut as he released a lot of emotional baggage into the air. “Ever since the three of you have been going on your shit adventures and leaving me behind, I have been feeling less than appreciated.” He tried his best to sound angry but the effort felt flat. 

Tommy’s breath stuttered as he inhaled and his nails left small crescent shapes in his palm. “I feel left out and… and like I’m not fuckin useful. Im old enough to go on adventures with you guys!” He paused as he thought. “It's not even like I'm worried about those though. I dont fuckin care for the shitty adventures.”

“Techno’s obviously the favorite. We all know it! Wilbur obviously takes second place, and I’m left for fuckin last.”

“Tommy-”

“No, no don't fuckin cut me off.” He felt a small bit of anger bubble to the surface but dissipated as soon as it came. “I’m like some kinda fuckin third wheel to this family, I dont know.”

Tommy fell silent, suddenly closing in on himself and regretting saying anything. “I, I’m going.” 

Tommy slid from the chair, stumbling slightly and tripping over his own feet on the way out of the kitchen. He rushed up the stairs and slammed his door, locking it. He threw open his window and practically fell from his tree on the way out. 

He could hear Wilbur at his door, speaking softly but Tommy couldn’t quite hear what he was saying. He slumped against the stump of the tree, hand in his hair as he tugged harshly against the blond strands. His throat felt like it was closing as tears choked him up. “Fuck.” 

Tommy felt a hand gently detangle his own hands from of head, grabbing them and rubbing his knuckles. He looked up through the tears he didn’t realize were falling. “Hey, hey, it’s okay.” He felt a hand gently wipe the tears from his cheeks.

He felt like he was being babied, but really didn’t mind it at that moment. The hands held his face and he practically melted at the touch. “It’s okay Toms, I’m here now.” 

Here now.

That felt nice.

Tommy laughed somewhat dryly, using his own hands to press into his eyelids. The laughing turned hysterical, tears falling onto his lap with small patters. “I'm sorry.” He cried with a sad smile.

“Dont be sorry.” 

He looked up at Phil through the tears and practically broke at the pity-filled expression his dad was giving him. “I’m sorry, Toms. I didn’t realize how much of an affect me leaving would have on you.”

Tommy gently pushed forward and into Phil’s arms, grabbing tightly onto the man’s long sleeves. “Dont leave me again.”

.

.

.

The next few days were a lot better after, albeit a bit awkward. Techno hadn’t said any more on the whole subject, but everyone could see that he was treating Tommy a lot more gently; making meals and letting Tommy be clingy around him. Wilbur apologized, but Tommy had let him know that he was the person least to blame in it all. Wil still babied him after.

Things changed… a lot with Phil. Phil tended to treat Tommy as if he was an adult before the “meltdown” but now he was being treated like a baby. It wasn’t so bad, but sometimes it got overbearing. Especially when his dad would parade behind Tommy and ask him if he did his basic needs; “did you preen?” “have you eaten?” “when was the last time you showered?”

The only times Tommy got away from him is when Phil had to go tend to the plants or wanted some of his own alone time. It wasn’t all so suffocating though. His dad would often take Tommy with him during his old-man stretches- “ _ yoga _ , Tommy” Phil had corrected once -where he’d go into the front yard and do, well, stretches. “It helps wing enhancement and body unity.” 

Who knew Phil was such a weirdo.

Tommy really liked the days when Phil would take him to a nearby hill and teach him to fly. It started out with stretches again, putting his wings and tail feathers into the proper position for flight and holding it there under the heavy winds. It was challenging at first, trying to push the thick tendons in his wings to hold still and fight against the breeze. 

Then Phil let him glide down the hillside, adjusting to the feeling of air under his feathers. Tommy was amazing at it, never once falling. Nope, not once (he wouldnt admit to Techno why his hair was full of twigs and leaves).

But the real excitement was flying for the first time. 

-

Phil had made him practice the take off crouch so many times that he practically had it integrated into muscle memory. He crouched low to the ground, feather tips just barely touching the forest floor. “Remember-”

“Quick, powerful beats. I fuckin know, okay?”

His dad only smiled, shaking his head softly. Tommy smiled and took in a large breath of air. He lifted his wings to the air and, on the exhale, beat down and jumped into the air. The rush of wind over his body was exhilarating as he took off. 

It was hard to maintain flight for longer than a few minutes, the muscles in his wings still new and undeveloped for it yet. Tommy landed somewhat horribly, tumbling down in a mess of feathers and dirt. Even so, he was smiling wide and cheering when Phil caught up to him. 

-

At the end of the week, Tommy felt happier than ever. Everyone had claimed a feather from him; Techno keeping it behind his ear, Wilbur had it plastered to his guitar, and Phil placed it carefully within his own ash gray feathers. It warmed Tommy’s heart to see a part of him with his family. 

When it came time for Phil and Techno to leave again, everything felt so much lighter. Tommy’s chest felt weightless and a smile was actually on his face as he waved the two off.

It wasn’t so bad, to have some sort of Phil with him always, being part of his heritage. 

  
  



End file.
